Eye Of Solitude

Album Title: 
Canto III
Release Date: 
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Label: 
Distribution: 
Review Type: 

This London-based British Funeral Doom Metal act was founded in April of 2010 as a one-man project by lead singer Daniel Neagoe (known also from Colosus, Deos, God Eat God, and formerly of My Shadow, Clouds, Fogland, Gothic, Imber Luminis, Tiarra, Unfathomable Ruination, L.O.S.T. and Amatris – in other words, a well-seasoned musician!), whom released Eye Of Solitude's debut (and now sold out) album The Ghost that same year. Soon after, he enlisted guitarist Jeff Barber (now in Darkeye and Khthon) and bassist Matthew White, and in this formula the band did its first gigs.

2011 brought some drastic changes in the line-up, with both Barker and White being replaced by Jamie Sweeney (currently also of Irony Of Christ, and Trixifion; formerly of Viscera, Hades Lab, Septic Tank, Vileape, Ditchcreeper and Annotations Of An Autopsy) and Federico Benini (of Cerebral Bore, Trixifion and Unfathomable Ruination, and formerly of Viscera, Ditchcreeper, Gorebound, Hades Lab and Septic Tank)...and current lead guitarist Indee Rehal-Sagoo also joining in, as well as drummer Ewan Ross (known also from In Fire Baptised, Sentenced To Suffer and Trixifion, as well as formerly of Abgott, Zebadiah Crowe and Viscera – quite some “cross-contamnations” there, eh?). The line-up changes also brought a slight difference in musical approach, which could be heard on the self-titled 3-track promo demo the band released that year. Toward the end of 2011, Sweeney leaves.

In early 2012 then, the band not only changed/ completed its line-up, with Sidious members Chris Davies (bass; also plays with Seeds Of Detest) and Mark Antoiades (guitar) joining, as well as Adriano Ferraro (formerly of Justonefix, and currently also of Nebukadnezza and Cythraul) taking over drum duties, and keyboardist Pedro Caballero Clemente being added...but also signed to the French Kaotoxin Records, and released their digital 4-track debut EP Awoken By Crows. The same line-up which records the June 2012 released full-length Sui Caedare to critical acclaim. During the rest of the year the band plays a few shows, and releases an EP (would that be the 3-track digital Kaotoxin release The Deceit, which saw the light of day in February 2013?) in support of Romania's National Association For the Blind.

The band is now back with its third full-length album, which is lyrically based on Dante's Inferno, and features 6 tracks (or “Act”s) with a total duration of just over 66 minutes, and said to be a diversified growth from the previous album by the addition of killer solos, Black Metal-ish blasts of rage, suicidal Black Metal desperate screams, and guesting Russia's Domina on vocals and violin. This added, to already trademark low-pitched vocals (say growls), and the great alternation of catchy and melodic heavy Doom melodies, with orchestrated ambient-like soundscapes. The diversity is best felt in those calmer passages, by the way. Mostly brought by the keyboards, there's nevertheless also some acoustic guitar moments, and the highest diversity in vocals (going from lamentation to calm clean singing, over spoken word parts, and even some sobbing!) is also felt here. For audio pleasure, surf to the media section of the band's own (www.) eyeofsolitude.com, where you will be re-directed to the band's Bandcamp page, and be allowed to listen to the Sui Caedare full-length, as well as to an EP titled that way (but which is in reality their 2011 demo) and The Deceit. No music off the current album...but you'll most probably be able to listen to 30-second samples of all 6 songs at the album's iTunes or Amazon page! At (www.) facebook.com/eyeofsolitude, you'll also find some studio footage.

The album was also released in a limited (1000 copies) 2-CD edition, the second CD consisting of a remastered version of the Awoken By Crows EP, and the 2013 The Deceit EP, both originally only available as downloads! As an added bonus, the CD also carries the video for the song “Awoken By Crows”. Great stuff, and certainly worth paying the extra buck for!

95/100